Smart Business Revolution | Turn Relationships into Revenues | Networking | More Clients | Relationship Advice

Inside the Mind of a Fifth-Gen Entrepreneur: Michael Richman on Growth, EOS, and Exit Strategy

Michael Richman is a Professional EOS Implementer with EOS Worldwide, a company that helps entrepreneurial leadership teams gain clarity, traction, and results through a proven operating system. With a background as a fifth-generation entrepreneur, he brings decades of firsthand experience in building and scaling businesses. Before becoming an EOS Implementer, Michael owned and operated a second-generation multimillion-dollar custom manufacturing company, culminating in a successful exit. He holds a degree in communications from the University of Southern California (USC) and an MBA in small business entrepreneurship from California Lutheran University. In this episode… Many entrepreneurs face the challenge of running and growing a family business while balancing legacy, leadership, and long-term sustainability. Scaling can feel overwhelming, employees may resist change, and eventually, the emotional weight of selling a business becomes unavoidable. How do you create clarity, build respect, and prepare a company for both growth and transition? Michael Richman shares how he navigated these challenges as a fifth-generation entrepreneur. By securing major accounts like Starbucks, Panda Express, and Family Dollar, Michael proved his value and helped expand his family’s custom manufacturing business nationwide. Later, he turned to the EO community and the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) to implement simple tools, such as scorecards, accountability charts, and people management systems — changes that unlocked growth, revealed hidden problems, and ultimately prepared the business for a successful exit. Tune in to this episode of the Smart Business Revolution Podcast as John Corcoran interviews Michael Richman, Professional EOS Implementer at EOS Worldwide, about transitioning a legacy business and scaling with systems. Michael discusses custom manufacturing, high-trust B2B partnerships, and how the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) changed his trajectory.

Unshackled Ambition: Turning Immigrant Dreams Into Reality With Nitin Pachisia

Nitin Pachisia is the Founding Partner of Unshackled Ventures, a venture capital firm that invests in immigrant founders while providing visa and employment support. Originally from India, he immigrated to the US in 2005 and built a career that spans Deloitte and experience as VP of Finance at ed-tech startup Kno, Inc., acquired by Intel. In 2014, Nitin co-founded Unshackled Ventures to help entrepreneurs overcome immigration barriers and accelerate growth. Under his leadership, the firm has invested in startups across AI, climate tech, and healthcare, closing multiple funds, including a $35 million Fund III. In this episode… Many ambitious entrepreneurs arrive in the United States with bold ideas but face significant obstacles when trying to start companies. Visa restrictions often force them into jobs unrelated to their skills, limiting their ability to innovate and create jobs. How can these driven individuals turn their vision into reality while navigating a system that seems stacked against them? Nitin Pachisia, an expert in early-stage investing and immigrant entrepreneurship, shares how determination, clarity of vision, and calculated risk-taking can overcome these challenges. Nitin explains the importance of identifying opportunities aligned with personal goals, building resilience through adversity, and seeking partners and investors who believe in your mission. He also emphasizes evaluating founders based on traits like obsession, curiosity, and self-awareness rather than just industry trends or current traction. Tune in to this episode of the Smart Business Revolution Podcast as John Corcoran interviews Nitin Pachisia, Founding Partner at Unshackled Ventures, about empowering immigrant founders to launch and grow companies. Nitin discusses overcoming visa-related barriers, the mindset needed to identify and invest in high-potential founders, and the value of unconventional career choices.

Scaling up Without Selling Out: How Pete Martin Helps Businesses Grow Faster and Smarter

Pete Martin is the Founder and CEO of Vestara Advisors and the author of Scale Up Faster. Vestara Advisors specializes in helping tech and B2B service companies scale strategically and maximize valuation. A serial entrepreneur and expert advisor, Pete has closed over $1 billion in software deals and founded six companies, selling four of them, including one to KPMG. His book distills proven strategies from the fastest-growing bootstrapped companies into practical frameworks for scaling quickly without outside funding. In this episode… Many business owners dream of scaling quickly, but they face unpredictable revenue, cultural misalignment, and unclear exit strategy. Without clarity on their company’s true value drivers, they risk underpricing their business or losing strategic control. What if there were a way to grow faster, build a stronger culture, and sell for a premium without relying on external funding? Pete Martin, a serial entrepreneur and author of Scale Up Faster, shares his research from hundreds of high-growth, bootstrapped companies to reveal what works — and what doesn’t — when scaling. Drawing from interviews with nearly 100 founders who doubled revenues year after year, Pete reveals their counterintuitive strategies — like mastering a single marketing channel, building recurring revenue, and hiring solely for cultural and value alignment. He also offers a framework for preparing a business for sale, crafting a compelling growth narrative, and cultivating relationships with potential buyers well in advance of the exit. Tune in to this episode of the Smart Business Revolution Podcast as John Corcoran interviews Pete Martin, Founder and CEO of Vestara Advisors, about scaling businesses without outside funding. Pete discusses the importance of culture, his process for building recurring revenue, and how he achieved a 12x EBITDA sale. He also shares insights from his book, founder traits that drive growth, and the power of focused marketing channels.

Doubling Your Agency in 7 Days: Peter Lang’s Rapid Growth Playbook

Peter Lang is a seasoned entrepreneur and M&A strategist who helps agencies and digital businesses grow through smart acquisitions and integration. He co-founded Uhuru Network in 2010, building it into a seven-figure digital sales and inbound marketing agency before exiting in December 2022. Peter is now Founder of Digital Agency Business, Owner of Digital Mastermind Group, and a board member at Lang Acquisitions, where he supports leaders and portfolio companies in driving growth through strategic M&A and collaboration. In this episode… Many agency owners struggle to break past growth plateaus using only organic methods. While expanding client rosters and service offerings can help, these paths are often slow, unpredictable, and resource-heavy. Could acquiring other agencies be a faster and more strategic way to expand capabilities, increase revenue, and build long-term value? Peter Lang, an experienced entrepreneur and M&A strategist, explains how intentional acquisitions can unlock rapid growth and solve operational challenges. Peter shares how to identify opportunities, align a seller’s motivations with your vision, and integrate teams without losing cultural balance. He also emphasizes the importance of having a clear long-term objective, building deal flow systems, and treating integration as a professional discipline to maximize the value of each transaction. Tune in to this episode of the Smart Business Revolution Podcast as John Corcoran interviews Peter Lang, Founder of Digital Agency Business and Owner of Digital Mastermind Group, about using M&A to grow agencies. Peter discusses sourcing and closing deals, creating a compelling vision for sellers, and best practices for integration. He also talks about cultural fit in acquisitions, avoiding common M&A pitfalls, and his journey from agency founder to advisor and dealmaker.

Ethical Innovation Through a Venture Studio Model With Clay Unicorn

Clay Unicorn is the Founder and former CEO of Unicorn.Love, a venture studio that empowers entrepreneurs to build, scale, and exit high‑impact B2B companies. Under his leadership, Unicorn reached a $1.25 billion valuation and became known for its innovations in AI, technology, and venture development. Clay has been a consultant for some of the biggest names in tech: Google, Samsung, Facebook, and Comcast. He has played a pivotal role in launching and scaling ventures like Bowery, iPondr, and ReVision — turning bold ideas into multimillion‑dollar successes. In this episode… What do you do when your hard-earned agency falls apart, a big exit deal collapses overnight, and your business partner’s investments freeze assets? How do you recover with integrity — and even reshape your company into something more mission-driven? Clay Unicorn confronts these challenges head‑on, sharing actionable lessons from building and rebuilding multiple ventures. He emphasizes the importance of surrounding yourself with the right partners, recognizing the warning signs of misaligned visions, and protecting both your capital and emotional bandwidth. Clay recounts his journey from early candy hustles and agency launches to creating Unicorn.Love, an ethical venture studio, illustrates how failure can fuel smarter decisions, how small MVPs can lead to multimillion‑dollar funding rounds, and why embracing AI and calculated risk is essential for scaling ventures. Tune in to this episode of the Smart Business Revolution Podcast as John Corcoran interviews Clay Unicorn, Founder of Unicorn.Love, about transforming a traditional development agency into an ethical venture studio. Clay explores his evolution from selling candy as a kid to running conscious studio-backed startups. He discusses Scaffald, investing in Bowery, navigating AI shifts, brick‑and‑mortar lessons, and building ventures with founder-aligned equity while creating systemic value.